Well device



NOV. 5, 1940. s FV TSCHAPPAT 2,220,359

WELL DEVICE Filed April 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l :bloc/wim Nov. 5, 1940. s. P. TscHAPPAT WELL DEVICE Filed April '7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov.l 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wsu. mmol:

Sheridan P., Tschappat, Tulsa, Okla.

Application Api-i1 7, 193s, serial No. 200,585

z claim. (o1. ics-14) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well devices.

One object-of the invention is to provide an improved well device having means for supporting a well tubing and also having means for packing off around the pipe below the supporting means, whereby the device may be employed on high pressure wells without danger of such pressures forcing or blowing the tubing from the l0 well.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved blowout preventer which ls adapted to be mounted within a tubing head so as to pack off around the tubing extending through said head, said preventer being rigidly commodate a blowout preventer without any material change; the preventer including hinged swinging sections which permit said preventer to be readily engaged around or removed from the tubing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved blowout preventer including a split packing ring or member which is adapted to be fitted together in an improved manner, whereby all the advantages of a solid annular packing member are had.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

'I'he invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of thepinvention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section of a well device, constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is an elevation of the blowout preventer, which is mounted within the head,

Figure 4 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 5 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view,

taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

50 Figure 6 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view,l

taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a bottom view of the blowout preventer,

Figure 8 is a transverse, vertical, sectional 55 view, taken Aon. the line 8-8 of Figure 4,

mounted on said base.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the preventer swung to its open position, and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

In the drawings, the numeral IIl designates 5 an annular base which has the lower end of its bore internally screw-threaded at II, whereby said base may be mounted on the upper end of a well casing I2, or other support. The base is formed with the usual lateral outlet ports i3 10 which extend through the wall of the base above the screw-threaded portion Il and these ports are adapted to receive outlet pipes (not shown) for conducting the well fluid flowing upwardly through the casing outwardly from the base. The 15 upper end of the base is externally screw-threaded at Il, whereby an annular body l5 may be An annular inclined slip bowl I6 is formed within the body l5 and gripping slips are adapted to seat within said bowl. 20 The inner faces of the slips are provided with the usual teeth I8 and these teeth are adapted to engage the outer surface of the well tubing I9 which extends axially through the well casing I2. Manifestly, the slips I'I serve to support or 25 suspend the tubing within the well casing.

An internal annular shoulder 20 is formed within the body I5 above the bowl I6 and a metallic ring 2| rests on this shoulder as well as upon the upper end of the slips I1. A plurality of elasso tic packing rings 22 are supported on the ring 2| and a second metallic ring 23 is disposed on the uppermost elastic ring 22. A packing gland or collar 2l is threaded into the upper end of the body I5 and engages the ring 23, whereby when 35 said gland or collar is screwed downwardly against the ring, the elastic packing rings 22 are deformed or distorted into packing position with the bore of the bowl and the outer surface of the well tubing |9. Although the lowermost metallic ring 2| is shown as resting on the upper end of the slips |1, it is manifest that said slips might move downwardly within the bowl, Whereby the ring 2| willbe supported solely on the internal shoulder 20. With the above arrangement, the well tubing I9 is suspended from the slips II and the space between the well tubing and the bore of the body I5 is sealed 01T by the packing ring 22, whereby escape of pressure past the well tubing is prevented. It is preferable that the rings 2|, 22 and 23, as well as the gland or collar 24, be split so that the same may be readily engaged around the tubing I9 after said tubing has been run through the body I5 and into the well casing.

Athe sections 28a and 28h together.

An internal annular shoulder or seat 25 is formed within the base I8 above the lateral outlet ports I3 and a blowout preventer A is arranged to be supported on this seat. The blowout preventer is maintained in a seated position by an overhanging shoulder 26 which is formed internally at the lower end of the body I5, said shoulder engaging the upper end of the preventer, whereby the preventer is confined between the shoulder 26 and the seat 25. 'Ihe blowout preventer includes a split packing element or collar 21 which is confined between an upper member 28 and a lower member 29, as is clearly shown in Figure 9.

'I'he upper confining or retaining member 28 takes the form of a split ring which includes two semi-circular sections 28a and 28h. The sections are hinged together by a link 30 which extends into recesses 3| formed in two of the abutting faces of the section. The ends of the link 3D are secured to the section by screws 32 (Figure 5) With this arrangement, it is manifest that the sections 28a and 28b are hinged together and may be swung to an open position so as to be readily disengaged from around the well tubing I9. The hingng of the sections also permits the same to be readily engaged around the tubing. For locking the sections together, the section 28a is provided with a pivoted latch member 33 which is disposed within a recess 34. The outer end of the latch member is provided 'with a vertical opening 35 and when the sections are swung together so that their inner faces abut, this outer end of the latch member 33 is adapted to swing into a recess 34 formed in the section 28h. When the latch member 33 swings into the recess 34', the opening 35 in said member registers with openings 36 provided in the section 28h above and below the recess 34', whereby a latch pin 31 may be passeddownwardly through the opening 36 and the opening 35, thereby locking The sections cannot be swung apart until the latch pin 31 is removed to permit the latch member 33 to be disengaged from the recess 34' and, therefore, a positive means of locking the sections 28a and 28h around the well tubing I9, is provided.

The packing element 21 is located immediately below the upper confining member 28 and is constructed of two sections 21a and 21h, which sections are substantially semi-circular in crosssection and complementary to the sections 28a and 28h of the member 28. Each section of the packing element 21 is constructed in exactly the same manner and it is believed that a description of one will suffice. One end or abutting face of the section 21b is formed with a recess or groove 38, which recess is substantially rectangular in cross-section. The recess extends from the outer surface of the section 21h to a point midway of the width thereof. The other half of the endor abutting face of said section is formed with an outwardly extending projection 39 and this projection is substantially V- shaped in vertical section. The base of the V- shaped projection 39 is substantially equal to the height of the section 21b. The opposite end or abutting face of the section 21b is formed with an outwardly extending tongue 40, said tongue having a rectangular shape in cross-section and being of substantially the same height and width as the groove 38 provided in the opposite face. 'I'he tongue 40 extends from midway of the width of the abutting face to the outer surface of the section 21b and the other half-of said abutting face is formed with a recess 4| having substantially a V-shape in cross-section. 'I'he V-shape recess is of substantially the same-size and shape as the projection 39 which is formed on the opposite end of the section 21h.

The section 21a is constructed in the same manner as is the section 21h being provided in one end or abutting face with the rectangular recess 38 and V-shaped projectionl 39, while its other face is formed with the rectangular tongue 40 and V-shaped recess 4|. With this arrangement, when the sections 21a and 21b are swung together so that their end faces abut each other, the tongue 40 on one section engages the recess or groove 38 on the other section, While the V-shaped projection 39 on one section engages within the V-shaped recess 4| on the other section. With this arrangement, the projections 39 and the tongues 40 provide an overlapping engagement between the sections 21a and 2lb, whereby a leakage past the abutting faces of the two sections is positively prevented.

The lower confining member 29 which is disposed below the packing element 21, is constructed in the form of a split ring or collar whereby said member includes a pair of semi-circular sections 29a and 29h, said sections being complementary to the semi-circular sections 21a and 21h of the packing elements, as well as complementary to the semi-circular sections 28a and 28h of the upper confining member 28. For securing the conning members and the packing element together, elongate vertical bolts 42 extend through openings 43 formed in the members and the packing element. These bolts have their heads countersunk in the lower member 29 (Figure 8), while their upper ends receive nuts 44, whereby the sections of the members and the packing element are secured together. Manifestly, since the sections 21a, 28a and 29a are fastened together, with the sections 21h, 28h and 29h fastened together and a pivotal connection through the links 30 therebetween, the blowout preventer comprises a pair of end sections which may be separated to permit said preventer to be engaged around the well tubing |9 or to be removed therefrom.

In operation, the base l0 is first mounted on the well casing l2, or other support, and the blowout preventer is then engaged around the well tubing I9, after which the latch member 33 is swung into the recess 34' and the latch pin 31 lowered through the opening 36 and the opening 35 in said member, whereby the preventer is locked around the tubing. 'I'he preventer is then lowered onto the seat 25 and the body I5 is then screwed onto the base so that the shoulder 26 overhangs the upper member 28 of said preventer. It is pointed out that the internal diameter of the packing element 21 is such that said lelement packs off around the well tubing. Upward displacement of the blowout preventer is obviated because the preventer is confined between the shoulder 28 and the seat 25. It is, therefore. impossible for any pressure to escape between the bore of the base I0 and the well tubing |9.

After the blowout preventer A is in its proper place, the slips I1 are dropped into the bowl I8 of the body I5 and these slips grip the tubing to suspend the same from the body. After the slips are in position, .the rings 2|, 22 and 23 are inserted'into the upper end of the body, after which the gland 24 is threaded therein to distort the rings 22 and pack off between the well tubing and the body I5.

With such an arrangement, it is manifest that a tubing supporting means is provided-with a blowout assembly located below the supporting means for said tubing. The provision of the blowout assembly at this point prevents the well pressure from acting against the slips and therefore danger of the tubing being blown from the well is eliminated. If it is desired to remove the blowout assembly, it is only necessary to remove the body I5 from the base I0, whereby access to the preventer assembly may be had.

In Figure 10, a slightly modied form of the invention is shown. In this form the upper end of the base I0 is formed with an outwardly directed annular ange 50. The body I5 is formed with a complementary ange 5| on its lower end and when the body is placed on the base, the flanges are co-extensive. A suitable packing ring 52 is disposed in a recess 53 formed in the top of 20, the base I0 and bolts 54 pass through the anges and receive nuts 55 to securely fasten the flanges together. With this arrangement, it is not necessary to rotate the body I5 in order to remove the same from the base I0. This rotative movement is necessary in the form shown in Figure 1 because of the screw-threaded connection between the base and the body. In the form wherein the flanges are employed, the bottom or lower edge of the body overhangs the blowout assem- 0 bly to prevent upward displacement therefrom,

whereas in the rst form the shoulder 26 is .formed internally of the body. The operation of both lforms is substantially identicaiwith the exception that the use of the flanges facilitates separation of the base and body.

The description which has been given recites more or less detail of a particular embodiment of the invention, which is set forth as new and useful; however, I desire it understood that the tial distance below its upper end, a split annular blowout preventer housed in the upper portion of said base and carried by said shoulder, a cylindrical body having its lower end screwed onto the base and havingr a slip bowl therein, said body overhanging the blowout preventer in such close relation as to hold it in the base, separable slips mounted in the bowl of the body, a split packing in the body immediately above the slips, the blowout preventer and the packing co-acting to pack 01T immediately above and below the slips, and means for distorting the packing, the packing co-acting with the slips to prevent the well pressure which expands the blowout preventer from dislodging the slips from the bowl of the body.

2. As a sub-combination in a well device of the character described,l a blowout preventer including a pair of hinged semi-circular sections,

each section comprising upper and lower metallic members and an elastic member conned therebetween, the lower metallic member having its edge port-ion substantially right angular in crosssection so as to seat upon a transverse shoulder, the elastic members having complementary V- shaped intermeshing portions and a mortise and tenon joint to form a seal, and means for latch ing the sections together.

SHERIDAN P. TSCHAPPAT. 

